Turkish government fires on Syria, represses pro-peace protest

Turkey fired on Syrian targets for a second day today but said it had no intention of declaring war, despite tensions after shelling from Syria killed five civilians in the Turkish border town of Akcakale.

Turkish authorities were evacuating vulnerable members of the town’s population, something that residents said should have been considered earlier.

Meanwhile, the country’s parliament passed a Bill authorising the military to launch cross-border operations in Syria.

Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said that the Bill approved by the Turkish parliament authorising the use of force in Syria by a majority of 320-129 was not a declaration of war but intended as a deterrent.

Police fired tear gas to stop a group of anti-war protesters chanting “We don’t want war” and “the Syrian people are our brothers” from approaching parliament as MPs debated the motion.

Cross-border tensions had escalated on Wednesday after a shell fired from inside Syria landed on a home in Akcakale, killing a woman, her three daughters and another woman and wounding at least 10 others.

The Turkish response was prompt. It fired salvos of artillery rounds deep into Syria.

Syrian ally Russia said it had received assurances from Damascus that the mortar strike had been a tragic accident and would not happen again.

Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi offered his “sincerest condolences on behalf of the Syrian government to the family of the deceased and the Turkish people.”

But the Nato military alliance, of which Turkey is a member, met at an emergency session in Brussels and condemned the attack on Turkey, demanding “the immediate cessation of such aggressive acts against an ally.”

It also urged the Syrian regime to “put an end to flagrant violations of international law.”